Paper clip



Oct. 25, 1960 c. SPONSEL 2,957,218

' PAPER CLIP Filed Dec. 16, 1957 fig. I

3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fig.2 Fig.3

INVENTOR CHARLES SPONSEL BY /Mm- ATTORNEYS Oct. 25, 1960 c. SPONSEL2,957,218

PAPER CLIP Filed Dec. 16, 1957 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR CHARLES SPONSELATTORNEYS Oct. 25, 1960 c. SPONSEL 2,957,213

PAPER CLIP Filed Dec. 16, 1957 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 9 INVENTOR CHARLESSPONSEL 99 i BY Lou/6mm Fig- 2 8 ATTORNEY United States Patent QfieePatented Oct. 25, 1960 PAPER CLIP Charles Sponsel, 408 Keleher NW.,Albuquerque, N. Mex.

Filed Dec. 16, 1957, Ser. No. 703,094

Claims. (Cl. 24-66) The present invention relates to clips for retainingsheet material, more particularly, to a clip formed from a strip ofresilient stock and having gripping surfaces on the ends of the legs ofthe clip so that only the gripping surfaces press against the sheetmaterial but do not damage or puncture the sheet material in any waywhile retaining the material in the clip.

Many forms of paper clips from a strip of resilient stock have beenpreviously devised. In these clips sheet materials are conventionallyretained between two resilient legs. Usually the entire length of theleg presses against the sheet material so as to retain the sheetmaterial in position. In some cases, however, the ends of the legs havebeen modified so as to retain the sheet material in place. This usuallyhas comprised grinding the ends of the legs so as to form a sharp pointthereon. The sharp point then digs into the outer surface of the sheetmaterial so as to prevent relative movement between the sheet materialand the clip. This method, however, has a disadvantage in that it willmar the outer surface of the sheet material. In addition, the ends ofthe legs are so formed that they will catch loose sheets of paper whichcome in contact with the sheet material in the clip. These loose orextra sheets of paper will not slide easily over the ends of the clipbut will be caught thereby and in some cases may be damaged.

strip which will have an etfective gripping action on the sheet materialwithout damaging the same.

It is another object of this invention to provide a clip for sheetmaterial of the type where sheet material is retained between two legsand having a novel structure on the end of the leg so as to gripeffectively the sheet material.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a clip of resilientmaterial which retains sheet material between legs but which may beeasily opened merely by finger pressure.

It is an additional object of this invention to provide a clip for sheetmaterial the ends of which will not catch any loose papers when the clipis in position.

It is still another object of this invention to provide a clip for sheetmaterial having gripping surfaces which will readily slide on the sheetmaterial retained in the clip without damaging this material in any way.

It is still an additional object of this invention to provide a clip ofresilient material which is easily operable.

The invention will become better understood and additional objects andadvantages will become apparent when reference is made to theaccompanying descrip tion and the following drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a plan view of the clip of this invention;

Figure 2 is a side view of the clip illustrated in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a perspective view showing the ends of the clip illustratedin Figures 1 and 2 in enlarged scale;

Figure 4 is a plan view illustrating the manner in Y which sheetmaterial is retained between the legs of the The present inventioneliminates the disadvantage of 7 paper clips as pointed out and providesa clip wherein the gripping action is obtained on a gripping area whichis located at the ends of the legs. The ends of the legs surrounding thegripping area are finished in such a way that the ends of the legs willnot catch any loose extra sheets of paper. Any loose sheets of paperwill slide easily over the ends of the clip and will not become damagedthereby in a manner as happens too often with previous clips.

In accordance with this invention, a clip is formed from a single stripof resilient stock and bent in such a manner that the legs cross eachother. The ends of the legs are formed into gripping surfaces by firstbending the ends of the legs and then grinding off the bent portion soas to form a fiat gripping surface. The entire clip is so formed that itmay be easily opened by the fingers of one hand to enable sheet materialto be inserted between the legs.

A further modification of this clip is also disclosed wherein sheetmaterial may be retained between the main portion of the clip and atleast one of the legs. This type of clip lends itself to use when largequantities of sheet material are desired to be secured together. Themain portion of the clip may be inserted into the center of the sheetmaterial with the legs of the clip being positioned against the outerones of the sheet material. Consequently, this clip will secure thesheet material by retaining the material between the main portion andone of the legs.

It is therefore the principal object of this invention to provide a clipfor sheet material formed from a resilient clip illustrated in Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken across the line 5-5 of Figure 4;

Figure 6 is a side view of the end of a leg of a clip such asillustrated in Figure 1 showing the first step in forming the grippingsurface on the end of the leg;

Figure 7 is a view similar to that of Figure 6 and showing the grippingsurface after the grinding step;

Figures 8 and 9 illustrate a second method of forming the ends of thelegs of the clip wherein Figure 8 discloses the first step of bendingthe end of the leg and Figure 9 discloses the second step of grindingthe bent end of the leg;

Figure 10 is a plan view of a clip similar to that illustrated in Figure1 illustrating the manner in which the clip is held in order to separatethe legs to permit the insertion of sheet material between the legs;

Figure 12 is a plan view of a modification of the clip illustrated inFigure 1;

Figure 13 is a side view of the clip modification shown in Figure 12;

Figure 14 is a side view of the clip illustrated in Figures 12 and 13and showing sheet material retained between the reverse bend portion andthe legs;

Figure 15 is a front view in enlarged scale of one of the ends of thelegs of the clip shown in Figure 12 illustrating the extent of thegripping surface;

Figure 16 is a side view of the leg illustrated in Figure 15;

Figure 17 is a front view of the other of the ends of the legs of theclip shown in Figure 12 and illustrating that the gripping area on thisleg is larger than the gripping area on the legs illustrated in Figures15 and 16;

Figure 18 is a side view of the end of the leg illustrated in Fig. 17;

Figure 19 is a perspective view illustrating the clip of Figure 12 as itis used in retaining sheet material;

Figure 20 is a top view of the clip and sheet material as illustrated inFigure 19;

Figure 21 is a plane view of another modification of the paper clipillustrated in Figure 1;

Figure 22 is a perspective view of the clip modification shown in Figure21 and further showing the clip as it receives sheets of paper betweenthe gripping surfaces thereof; r

Figure 23 isa side elevationalview of themodified clip illustratedinFigures 21 and 22;

. Figure 24 isa plane view of still another modificatio of the paperclip illustrated in Figure 1;

I Figure 25 is aside elevational view of the modified paper clip shownin Figure 24;

. Figure 26 is a plane view of a further modification of thepaper clipillustrated inFigure 1;

Figure 27 is .a side elevational view of the. modified paper clip shownin Figure 26; and

Figure 28 is an end view showing the manner in which sheetmnaterial isretained between the legs of the paper clips of this invention.

Returning now to the drawings, more particularly to Figure1,.whereinlike reference symbols indicate the same parts. throughout thevarious views, a clip 1 formed from a strip ofres'ilient stock is shown.The strip has a substantially circular cross-section and is bent at 2and. 3 at substantially an acute angle. The bends 2 and 3 result in theformation ofa main or central portion 4 and legs 5 and 6. The legs 5 and6 are not'straight but are curved slightly so that the curves opentoward each other. The legs cross over at 7, but it is not necessarythat they contact each other at the cross-over point. This cross-overpoint occurs in the lower portions of each of the legs, and, as may beseen in Figure 1, is illustrated as occurring in the lower one-quarterof each of the legs.

The ends of the legs indicated as 8 and 9, respectively, are formed withgrippingsurfaces and 11.. These grippingsurfaces are substantiallyparallel to the planeformed by the main portion 4 and the respectivelegs 5 and 6. Furthermore, each of the ends 8 and 9 are curved at 12 and13, as illustrated in Figure 1, toward each other and in the planeformed by the respective legs and the main portion.

The gripping surfaces 10 and 11 are preferably formed by the methodillustrated in Figures 6. and 7. Reference to Figures 6 and 7 willindicate that the end of the leg is first bent at a slight acute angleas indicated at 14. This bendis in the direction of the sheet materialwhich is to. be retained in the clip. This bent portion is then groundalong the line indicated at 15, and the result is the grip ping surface10 as illustrated in Figure 7. The grinding results in a smooth fiatsurface which is substantially parallel to the plane formed by the mainportion and the respective leg. It is not necessary, however, that thegrinding plane 15 contact the leg. The. distance of the grindingplanefrom the leg will determine the size of the grinding area. Thegrinding further results in a sharp rim on the grinding surface alongthe sides 16 and 17 and the end 18, as may be seen in Figure 3. V

7 Figures 8 and 9 indicate an alternate method of forming the ends ofthe .clip legs. As seen in Figure 8, the grinding plane is at an angletothe. leg and the result is a pointed gripping surface which may punctureand damage the sheet material.

Proceeding next to Figure 10, there is illustrated a modified clip 19.which is substantially similar in respect to the clip of Figure 1 exceptthat the ends of the leg portions are not curved. In addition, thecross-over point 7 occurs closer to the bends 2 and 3.

The manner in which the clip illustrated in. Figure 1 is opened topermit the insertion of sheet. material between the legs is illustratedin Figure 11.. Indicated by the circles 20 and 21 in Figure l are thesqueeze points or pres: sureareas to be contacted by the fingers inopening the grip. As. can be seenin Figure 11', the clip is grippedbetween the'thumb. and the second finger at. the squeeze point 20, andthe forefinger applies a pressure at the circle 21 to separate the legs.When the sheet material has been inserted between the. legs; andpressure. by the fingers on the clip has been released, the sheetmaterial will be retained in the clip by pressure exerted by thegripping surfaces on the ends of the legs and not by the entire leg asis usually done in conventional paper clips. As may be seen in Figure 7,the end of the leg is finished off into a point or sharp rim which sharprim closely engages the surface of the sheet material. Consequently,loose or extra sheets of paper which slide over the paper clip will notbe caught by the ends of the paper clip legs but will slide smoothlyover these legs. The close engagement of the gripping surface with thesheet material will prevent any additional sheets of material frombecoming accidentally inserted between the legs of the clip.

Proceeding next to Figure 12, there is illustrated a modification of theclip shown in Figures 1 and 10 and indicated by the reference numeral22. The clip 22 is similarly formed from a single strip of resilientstock indicated-at 23 and having a substantially circular cross-section.The clip 22 comprises a reverse bend 24 which forms a reverse bendportion 25 and arms 26 and 27. Each of the arms further has a U-shapedbend indicated at 28 and 29, which is in the plane of the reverse bendportion but is substantially at right angles thereto. The U-shaped bendportions open toward each other as may be seen in Figure 12. 7

The ends of the arms 26' and 27 are bent to form the legs 30 and 31,which cross over each other at the crossover point 32, at which pointthey are also in engagement with each other. The extreme portions of theleg, as illustrated at 33 and 34, are parallel to each other and extendwithin the reverse bend portion 25. Each of thelegs 30 and31 is providedwith a gripping surface 35. and 36. As may be seen in Figures 15 through18, the gripping surface 36 is larger in area than the gripping surface35. V

The clip 22 illustrated in Figure 12 is manipulated to permit the legsto. pivot about each other at the crossover point so thatthe legs moveoutwardly from the plane of the reverse bend portion. This'isaccomplished by placing the second finger under the U-bend 29 at thearea indicated at 37 and placing the thumb fingernail along. the lineindicated at 38. The forefinger is then applied underneath the clip atthe area indicated at 39. Moving of the, forefinger upwardly will pivotthe legs abouteach, other .at thecross-over point and to pivot outwardlyaway from the plane of the reverse bend portion. The reverse bendportion is then inserted into the sheet material in such a manner thatthe pivoted legs are positioned against the outer surfaces of thematerial. When the pressure of the fingers exerted as described above isreleased, the gripping areas on the legs will press against the outersurfaces of the sheet material to grip the sheet material 40 against thereverse bend portion. When theclip of Figure 12 is inposition, a topview of the clip and sheet material will appear to the observer asillustrated in Figure 20. V V

Proceeding next to Figure 21', there is illustrated a clip 41 which is afurther modification of the clip shown in Figure l. The clip 41 issimilarly formed from a single strip of resilient stock which is bent atsubstantially a right angle 42 to form arms 43 and 44. The arms 43 and44 are then bent at angles 45 and 46 rigidly to form legs 47 and 48which extend toward each other. The legs 47 and 48 are then bentinwardly and cross over at a point 49 so as to form a closed mainportion 50. The legs 47 and 48 are further bent at 51 and 52 so thatthey are substantially parallel to each other and extend outwardly ofthe closed main portion on either side of the right angle bend 42 and onopposite sides of the strip forming the clip.

Clip 41 is operated so as to pivot the legs 47 and 48 about each otherat the cross-over point 49 whereby sheet material may be insertedbetween either of the legs and the closed, main portion 50. The legs arepivoted by gripping the clip with the, thumb and second finger at thegrip area 53 and subsequently using the forefinger to lift the leg ofthe clip at the grip area 54. Moving the forefinger upwardly will pivotthe legs about each other at the cross-over point and will spread thelegs outwardly from the closed main portion. After the sheet materialhas been inserted, pressure exerted by the forefinger is released andthe legs will then grip the material between either of the legs and theclosed main portion.

It is possible with this clip to retain as many as twenty-five sheets ofpaper between one of the legs and the closed main portion.

In Figure 24 there is illustrated still another modification of the clipdisclosed in Figure 1 and indicated at 55. Clip 55 is similarly formedfrom a single strip of resilient stock and has a plurality of bends 56,57 and 58 to form a closed main portion 59. The ends of the strip crossover at the point 60 to form legs 61 and 62, of which the leg 61 isconsiderably shorter in length than the leg 62. The leg 61 is furtherbent at 63 so that the major portion of the leg extends substantiallyparallel to a section of the closed main portion extending between thebend 56 and the cross-over point 60.

The longer leg 62 is bent at 64, 65 and 66 as illustrated in Figure 24so that the portions of the leg between the bends 64 and 65 and 65 and66 are substantially parallel to the sections of the closed main portionextending between the cross-over point 60, bend 58 and the bends 58 and57 respectively. The leg 62 is bent at 66 in such a manner that itcrosses over the closed main portion at the points 67 and 68 justinwardly of the bend 57. The leg 62 further continues to cross over theshorter leg 61 adjacent the end thereof at the cross-over point 69. Itis pointed out that the leg 62, where it crosses over the closed mainportion at 67 and 68, is on the opposite side of the strip from the leg61 where it crosses over at 60.

The clip 55 is similarly manipulated by pivoting the legs 61 and 62outwardly of the closed main portion 59. This is accomplished by placingthe forefinger under the clip at the grip area 70 and the second fingerunder the clip at the grip area 71. The thumb is then pressed downwardlyon the grip area 72, which is at the bend 58. This will result in theshorter leg 61 pivoting outwardly from the closed main portion 59 at thecross-over point 60 and the longer leg 62 pivoting outwardly of theclosed main portion at the cross-over point 67. In this clip also, sheetmaterial may be retained between either one of the legs and the closedmain portion.

Proceeding next to Figure 26, there is illustrated a clip 73 which isstill a further modification of the clip illustrated in Figure 1. Theclip 73 is also formed from a single strip of resilient stock and isbent at the points 74, 75, 76 and 77 substantially as shown in Figure 26so that the ends of the strip cross over at 78 to form a short leg 79and a long leg 80. The short leg 79 has a bend 81 and a further bend 82to enable the leg to cross over the cloced main portion 83 at the points84 and 85 just inwardly of the main portion bend 77. The main portion 83is formed by the strip being bent at 74, 75, 76 and 77 and the closingthereof by crossing over the legs at the point 78.

The longer leg 80 is so bent at 86 that it contacts the main portionbend 74 on the side opposite from the crossing over of the main portionby the short leg at the points 84 and 85. The long leg is again bent at87 and 88. As a result of the bends 87 and 88 in the long leg 80, thisleg will cross over the closed main portion at the points 89 and 90inwardly of the closed main portion bend 75. The end thereof, indicatedat 91, is substantially parallel with the end of the short leg indicatedat 92. The ends of the legs 91 and 92 are on opposite sides of the bend76 and also on opposite sides of the strip forming the main portion.

The clip 73 is similarly operable so as to retain sheet material betweeneither of the ends of the legs 91 and 92 and the closed main portion 83.To open the clip,

the second finger is placed below the clip at the grip area 93 and theforefinger below the clip at the grip area 94. To actually open theclip, the thumb is pressed downwardly at the grip area 95 While theforefinger is lifted upwardly. As a result the leg end 92 will pivotoutwardly from the closed main portion by the pivoting of the short leg79 at the point 74. The leg end 91 will also pivot outwardly from theclosed main portion but in an opposite direction by the pivoting of thelong leg 80 at the cross-over point 89.

Proceeding next to Figure 28, there is shown an end view of papers 96which are retained between one of the legs and the closed main portion.This view will be substantially the same for any of the clips asillustrated in Figures 21, 24 and 26. The ends of the clamp legs aregenerally spaced at least 7 of an inch, depending upon the size of theclip. Such a space will bend the paper to form the hollows as indicatedat 97 and 98. Consequently, when extra sheets of paper are slid over theclip, they will not contact the clamping portion of the leg but willmerely rest on the sheets of paper 96. As shown in Figure 28, the extrasheets of paper indicated at 99 do not contact either of the clampinglegs as indicated at 100 and 101.

It is further pointed out that the ends of the clamping legs of each ofthe modifications illustrated in Figures 21, 24 and 26 may be formedwith the gripping areas as described above.

Thus it can be seen that by using the clip as described above, togetherwith the structure on the ends of the legs also described above, a moreeffective and less damaging gripping area is obtained from the clip.Specifically, the following results will follow from using the clips ofthis invention as described above:

(1) Both of the legs will press and slide on the sheet material withoutpuncturing the sheet material.

(2) The curved rim and curved outer surfaces of the legs are necessaryto protect extra papers outside the clip when the clip is in eitherstraight or diagonal position.

(3) The rim of the leg contacts the paper surface all around the sidesof the end of the foot to exclude extra papers.

(4) The leg has enough curvature therein so as to not press against thepapers so that the sole gripping action is obtained by the grippingareas of the ends of the legs pressing against the papers contained inthe clip.

Furthermore, both clips are easily fabricated from a single continuousstrip of resilient stock, both clips are easy to open so as to insertsheet material between the legs, and both clips may be easily removedfrom the sheet material without damaging or marring the material in anyway. The even pressure of the gripping area around the periphery of therim thereof will insure an equal force exerting on the paper and that nopart of the gripping action will bear against the paper with a greaterforce in such a way as to damage or mar the paper. The close engagementof the perimeter of the rim with the sheet material will preventundesired sheets of paper from becoming inserted between the legs of theclip.

It will be understood that this invention is susceptible to modificationin order to adapt it to different usages and conditions, and,accordingly, it is desired to comprehend such modifications within thisinvention as may fall within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A clip for sheet material comprising a single strip of resilientstock having a first reverse bend portion with parallel sides, the endportions of said strip forming arms of substantially equal length, asubstantially U-shaped bend in each of said arms at right angles to thesides of said reverse bend and in the same plane therewith to form legsat the ends of the strip, the open portions of said U-shaped bendsfacing toward each other, one of said legs crossing over the other ofsaid legs with said legs being parallel to each other beyond thecrossing over point and being positioned entirely within said reversebend and extending substantially in the direction thereof whereby saidlegs are pivotable about thecrossing over point when pressure is appliedto said clip in opposite direotions substantially perpendicular to theplane of'the reverse bend and sheet material can be retained between oneof said legs and said reverse bend.

2. A'clip for sheet material comprising a continuous strip of resilientstock having a first bend and spaced bends. on each. side of said firstbend so as to constitute a central portion and the ends of the stripforming two legs extending therefrom, said legs crossing over each otherat a single point and each leg having a single bend therein after saidcross-over point so that said legs are substantially parallel to eachother after the cross-over point, said legs having portions being curvedtoward each other so that said curved portions are in planesperpendicular to the central portion, there being flat gripping surfaceson the ends of said legs, said flat gripping surfaces being on the innerfaces of said legs and adapted to face each other so as to retain sheetmaterial inserted between said legs, each of said gripping surfaceshaving a sharp rim at the sides and outer end thereof.

3:. Aclip for sheet material comprising a single strip of resilientmaterial having a plurality of bends in a single plane to form a closedmain portion and legs adapted to cross over each other and extend intothe main portion at the cross over point, at least one of said legsbeing-positioned with respect to said main closed portion to retainsheet material in said clip between said one leg and said main portion,said legs having portions being curved toward each other so that saidcurved portions are in planes perpendicular to the plane of the mainportion, there being flat gripping surfaces on the ends of said legs,said fiat surfaces being on the inner faces of said legs andadapted toface each other so as to retain sheet material inserted between saidlegs, each of said gripping surfaces having a sharp rim at the sides andouter end thereof.

4. A clip for sheet material comprising a single conclip in oppositedirections substantially perpendicular to the plane of the reverse bendand sheet material is adapted to be retained between one of said legsand said reverse bends, said legs having portions being curved towardeach other so that said curved portions are in planes perpendicular tothe plane of the main portion, there being fiat grippingsurfaces ontheends of said legs, said flat surfaces being on the inner faces of saidlegs and facing each other so as to retain sheet material insertedbetween said legs, each of said gripping surfaces having a sharp rim atthe sides and outer end thereof.

5. A clip for sheet material comprising a single strip of resilientmaterial having a plurality of bends in a single plane to form a closedmain portion and legs adapted to cross over each other and" extend intothe main portion at the cross over point, both of said legs having bendstherein within said closed main portion so that the said legs areparallel, the parallel endsof said legs extending outwardly of saidclosed main portion opposed from said cross-over point and on oppositesides of the strip material whereby each leg is adapted to retain sheetmaterial between said leg and the closed main portion, said legs havingportions being curved toward each other so that said curved portions arein planes perpendicular to the plane of the main portion, there beingflat gripping surfaces onthe'ends of said legs, said fiat surfaces beingon the inner faces of said legs and adapted to face each other so as toretain sheet material inserted between said legs, each of said grippingsurfaces having a sharprim at the sides and outer end thereof.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS226,262 Ashworth Apr. 6, 1880 429,044 Middleton May 27, 1890 633,674Ward Sept. 26, 1899 703,485 Shedlock July 1, 1902 735,566 McGill Aug. 4,1903 743,017 McGill Nov. 3, 1903 749,429 Dusinberre Ian. 12, 1904753,614 McGill Mar. 1, 1904 758,547 Mapother Apr. 26, 1904 868,004 PostOct. 15, 1907 868,747 Alter Oct. 22, 1907 895,268 Heydemann Aug. 4, 19082,152,075 MeIehes Mar. 28, 1939 FOREIGN PATENTS 15,331 Great Britain"June 26, 1914

